"This property accounted for more than 80 calls to service by Cincinnati Police from January through September this year [2008]," Witte says. "The drain of resources, the deplorable conditions and the continued disregard for the surrounding community has made this property public enemy number one."
Known as the Phil's Manor Apartments and owned by Phil Yeary, the property has been subject to poor maintenance, littering, and some less than respectful renters.
"This building is ruining this stretch of W Eighth," says Pete Witte, vice president of the Price Hill Civic Club. "We are losing homeowners!"
One 25-year resident says that Yeary is "low involvement, low maintenance, and a non-resident".
"You could say he is an overly generous judge of character as far as the tenants he allows," she says. "Over the past few years he has seemed to take advantage of the Section 8 craze that has taken over the West Side."
Not only has she complained about overflowing dumpsters and furniture left at the curb for weeks at a time, but she has also witnessed more severe criminal activity.
"We have witnessed alcohol abuse, marijuana use, verbal abuse, fights, what we believe to be drug deals, and abandoned cars over the years," she says.
She adds that a neighbor has already moved away because of the nuisance, and that Phil's Manor has led to a devaluation of her own property.
"We challenged the valuation of our home a few years ago, and the apartment building was deemed part of the reason our challenge was successful," she says. "The outward condition of the apartment building was considered a detriment to the value of ours and surrounding properties."
Apparently, Yeary has put Phil's Manor on the market.
"They will probably never sell, housing market slump or not," the resident says.
Residents have reached out
A resident who refers to himself as "an aging Elder Panther" has the same concerns about the property, and its absentee landlord.
"Phillip Yeary shows no concern for the neighborhood but rather the rent money he can scam from the government," he says. "Mr. Yeary has been made aware by many of the neighbors of the drug deals and garbage spread all over the property. Bed bugs, rodents, and even rats have been seen around the premises of this property."
He says that he and his neighbors have made an effort to reach out to Yeary, inviting him to attend Price Hill Civic Club meetings or to discuss the condition of Phil's Manor over the telephone.
"He will not give us the time of day to discuss these problems," the resident says.
Discussing litter with the tenants has been a losing proposition.
"If you darn say anything to the tenants, the response is so vulgar and you need to fear what retaliation you are going to receive," he says.
Loitering makes neighbors nervous
A couple who have lived in the area for 37 years says that they get nervous about the large crowds of young men who loiter in front of the apartment building.
"One evening there were about 40 men out in front," they say. "I called the police. This was not the first time."
They also touch on the issue of the neighbor who got fed up and moved away -- and out of the City.
"Now this house they raised their family in sits empty," they say.
"I'm begging you, Mr. Mayor and members of counsel [sic] to please step in and help the good people of Price Hill to either make Mr. Yeary have some monitored sanctions or to permanently close this filth-infested building, so it can be managed by someone who cares about the revitalization of our city and neighborhood," says the aging Elder Panther.
A report from city manager Milton Dohoney Jr. is scheduled to be presented to council by February 4.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
4373 W Eighth Street: A nuisance?
